Self-inking stamps are known in the prior art that operate by pressing an outer housing downward so it slides down and around an inner housing. The inner housing contains a rotatable printing die that moves from a rest position against an ink pad to an imprint position in response to the relative movement of the inner and outer housings. The inner and outer housing are spring biased apart so as to hold the die normally against the ink pad when the stamp is not being compressed. Such a device is typified by the disclosure in U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,281 and the references cited therein. In this prior art patent, the outer housing includes a metal bridge that spans the housing and against which are mounted the springs that engage and bias the inner housing towards a rest position. Since the ink pad occupies essentially all of the width the inner housing, the bias springs necessarily rest against the ink pad itself. As a result, when the pad must be reinked, a rather cumbersome procedure is necessitated in which a cap on the outer housing is removed to expose the metal bridge. The hand stamp is then compressed, and held that way, so as to bring the ink pad closer to the metal bridge whereby ink can be dispensed through holes in the bridge, and actually through the centers of the spring, into ink wells that communicate via small holes with actual ink pad. A slight misjudgment by the user can create messy ink spills throughout the complicated mechanism. Worse yet, if the compressed stamper is accidentally released, ink may splatter everywhere. A more efficient, easier to use, cleaner, and more compact design is contemplated by the present invention.